NPE Stories

 Carlyn found out through a DNA test that she was adopted. She shares her remarkable story and experiences of her journey in learning about her past and her identity, especially after growing up in an immigrant family of Latino heritage. Carlyn can be reached via her website: http://animalhumanhealth.com/ Resources Mentioned: Carlyn's memoir is called Junkyard Girl: A Memoir of Ancestry, Fami...

Nikee is a Gold Star Mother who found her relinquished adopted sister through a DNA test. She has had 2 legal birth certificates and neither of those had the true name of her biological father. Nikee can be reached via email at kramer.nikee@yahoo.com  Resources Mentioned: DNA Angels Right to Know NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Shardae had a startling parent/child match of 57.28% on her 23andMe DNA results.  It turns out her family is much more entangled than expected. Resources Mentioned: DNA Surprises Podcast Shardae's Story (Part 1) Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg NPE Stories now has a Patreon page, where listeners and guests can see additional behind-the-scenes content for each episode and supp...

Shawn grew up in a blended family where all the children looked different, so he never suspected he was an NPE. Completely out of the blue an unexpected text from his sister alerted him to the fact that his dad was not his dad. Resources Mentioned: The Loss Cycle NPE Stories now has a Patreon page, where listeners and guests can see additional behind-the-scenes content for each episode and support...

Cody was raised in a family where he was not allowed to show any emotion. After discovery, his life hit rock bottom and he had to make his mental health a top priority. Through therapy and hard work Cody has come out of his depression and shares his story on the podcast. Cody Hatheway can be found on facebook and reached through email: hatheway10@gmail.com Resources Mentioned:  NPE Stories now has...

Paige was raised in poverty in Louisiana with a very rough childhood. She had heard rumors that her late father was not her dad, but this was never confirmed until she took an Ancestry DNA test. Paige has a beautiful calming presence while sharing her story on the podcast. Paige can be emailed at paige.stpierre@yahoo.com Resources Mentioned: NPE Stories now has a Patreon page, where listeners and...

Brittani is healing not broken, she shares her story of healing through depression and creating a healing cycle for herself and for others. Finding out you are an NPE is at most times very difficult and hard to process, Brittani wanted to share her story in hopes to help others going through a similar journey, to help normalize the emotions that can come up while healing trauma. She  is the creato...

Fred is a late discovery adoptee, and realized life was never going to return back to normal after the "swing of the wrecking ball" He has written a memoir and is 20 years into his discovery and reunification process. Fred can be reached via email at fred@fredsbreadstore.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling our Roots Summit NAAP National Association for Adoptees and Parents Forbidden Root...

Stacey found out through a DNA test and subsequent conversation with her mother, that she was an NPE. She has started a relationship with her HS and BF.  Stacey can be emailed at staceyleigh1@yahoo.com Resources Mentioned: Megan Hunter High Conflict Personalities High Conflict Institute Megan Hunter and Bill Eddy's Podcast "I t's All Your Fault: High Conflict People " DNA Angel...

Heather knew she was conceived at Quantico. An unknown mystery uncle appeared on her Ancestry. After speaking with his family Heather was able to figure out that one of his brothers was stationed as a marine at Quantico, at the same time. Heather can be reached via email at hdswann@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: The Reverend and the Reprobate Podcast DNA Tests, Family Trees, and NPE Stories: The L...

A month before her dad is coming to visit her, Josie re-logs back into 23andMe after many years and notices something strange in her family tree. Josie can be emailed at hello@spadeandanchor.com Resources Mentioned: Healing Retreats for Adoptees, Donor Conceived People, Late Discovery Adoptees, and NPEs Hiraeth Hope & Healing Retreats NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstori...

Crystal found out she was an NPE in 2021.   She spent some time messaging her family before they all figured out who her biological father was. She has now formed a great relationship with her brothers, which is especially profound as Crystal was raised as an only child. Crystal can be emailed at truthcamp@hotmail.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling our Roots Summit Held in Louisville, KY Mar 30 -...

Beth chooses to share her NPE story anonymously because her birth certificate father does not know the truth. Her sister found out they were half-sisters through a 23andMe DNA test. Resources Mentioned: Untangling our Roots Summit Held in Louisville, KY Mar 30 - Apr 1 2023 NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebo...

Nancy wondered why her Mom picked a cousin to be her godfather rather than one of her beloved brothers...she later found out they were closer than she knew. Nancy can be reached through email at nkauf92@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Ancestry Discoveries: What Happens Under the Sheets Doesn't Stay There by Annette L Becklund NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE St...

Bobbi says her NPE story is a rare one, and she hasn't heard one quite like it. Many of her family members end up being NPEs. Bobbi can be reached through email at bobbi859@gmail.com NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Sydney always felt that something was off in her family of origin, and everyone around her acted extremely strange when she started to talk about her DNA results. Turns out nearly everyone in her life knew the truth except for Sydney.  Sydney can be reached through email at sydneybarnes08@yahoo.com NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebo...

Jeff says his NPE story has a happy ending. He had a normal upbringing as a child and was completely surprised when a HS reached out to him after taking an Ancestry DNA test. Jeff can be reached through email at jefftaylor.5.16.15@gmail.com NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Although Pam Z forgave her birth certificate father on his deathbed she kept her distance from him throughout her childhood for her own protection. Pam Z can be reached through email at dreambig373@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Hiraeth Hope & Healing Retreat The Canadian group is Not Parent Expected Canada which is the public education page and the private support group is:  Canadian NPEs/MPE...

Liann is an NPE and no longer wants to be the family secret. She made sure she was in the right mindset for rejection before reaching out to certain family members. One of her half siblings has started communicating with Liann after her BF and HB did not want to pursue a relationship. Liann can be reached through email at gotheart89@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Inner Child Work and Ancestral Tra...

Kelly Grace Hickey is such an important volunteer in our NPE community. She has solved endless cases through the non-profit founded by Laura Olmsted, DNAngels. DNAngels, if you haven't heard, finds birth parents FOR FREE for adoptees, donor conceived, and Not Parent Expected individuals. Kelly is a joy to listen to as she shares her own personal story, as well as the incredible background inf...

Kimberly has gone through a lot of healing to get where she is currently at in her NPE story. Although initially she had contact with her biological father, like so many other NPEs, that relationship has its own set of complications.  Kimberly can be reached through email at kdsoto8@gmail.com Resources mentioned: Hiraeth Hope and Healing Retreats NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/...

Izola is 90 years old, and has not been able to find out a lot about her biological father, since most of the people that would know information are no longer around. She was incorrectly told it was 2 different men when her mother was still alive. Now she lives with her daughter who acts as her historian, and through DNA testing and search angels has been able to get a name for her biological fath...

Traci's sister thought she was the NPE in the family after finding out her mother had a brief secret marriage to a man they didn't know. After taking a DNA test Traci found out she was in fact the NPE. Traci can be reached through email at tlwilk1990@gmail.com Resources mentioned: Gina Daniel and Richard Wenzels' website NPE Guide Gina Daniel's NPE Stories episode #19 Don Ander...

Leeanne is an NPE and the author of NPE* A story guide for unexpected DNA discoveries.    Leeanne comes on the podcast in Episode 144 and shares some of her favorite resources, portions of her book as well as her NPE story. Leeanne can be reached on twitter @leeannerh Leeanne's website: leeannerhay.com Resources: DNAngels Elizabeth Kubler-Ross 5 Stages of Grief Untangling our Roots Summit 202...

Melissa never knew who her father was, and was never given much information as her mother had her out of wedlock, and her family carried a lot of shame over this. As an adult Melissa had the internet and started researching her birth fathers name until she found, who she thought, was her dad. NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook pag...